KAIL-2193-Inspiring-Women-Book-03[2]

“In meeting Michael, I found that instead of
being a doctor for the rest of my life, I would
also be involved in the fishing industry for the
rest of my life. So, I was really two people after
that.”
BLUE ADORED RING
“...a treasure of dual pearls – two moons
creating islands surrounded by a sea...”
Following the industry and its opportunities,
the couple busily travelled Western Australia,
establishing new businesses and, for Dr Kailis,
also responding to her medical calling.
I wanted to grow pearls by
science, not by hearsay.
principles of epidemiology, her measures all
but wiped out the disease in their pearl farm,
enabling the couple to create what is Kailis
Australian Pearls today.
“I cleaned up our operation and put in
regulations around the discipline of growing
pearls,” she says. “I wanted to grow pearls by
science, not by hearsay.”
Here, and in every aspect of Dr Kailis’ life,
challenge has never been anything other than
a job to get done. It’s what she loves and what
lights her fire.
“I was curious about what was going on and
what I could do with my knowledge to do
something about it,” says Dr Kailis. “I just love it.”
“This was 1958, I’m talking about,” she explains.
“There were no country doctors, so I was
having to be a doctor at the same time
wherever we went, as working in the business.
It was pretty hectic.”
The pair started with Rock Lobsters in
Dongara, then pioneered the prawn industry
in Exmouth, next over to Groote Island, and
finally, established a pearl farm in Broome.
Little did she know it, but Dr Kailis’s expertise
as a doctor would come in useful here too.
Although, not quite as you’d expect.
“After some years, we learned that all the pearl
farms in the north-west of Western Australia
had a disease in their pearl oysters which
threatened the entire industry,” says Dr Kailis.
“Michael said, ‘you’d better get on up there and
see what you can do about it.’ So, I did.”
Despite her matter-of-factness about it, Dr
Kailis’s work here was yet another example
of how pioneering she would be. Applying the